Justin Sluiter
Research Chemist (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
Session: Speaker – The Future of Ethanol Production: Corn Kernel Fiber Analytics Panel
Topic: The Challenge of Cellulose
Summary: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has a long history in analytical chemistry to support conversion of cellulosic feedstocks to fuels. Our laboratory analytical procedures for biomass composition are used worldwide in the cellulosic industry. Recent developments in the corn ethanol industry have drawn attention to these procedures and their potential to assist with cellulosic ethanol pathway approval for RIN credits through the EPA. NREL has been working with industry and governmental agencies to improve the precision and accuracy of our analytical procedures to better support the gen 1.5 industry. We will present on our past and future work in this area.
Bio:
Justin B. Sluiter started at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 1996. Justin has spent most of that time working on the chemical characterization of biomass for the Biomass Program using NREL’s Laboratory Analytical Procedures (LAPs). He has extensive experience in the lab performing the LAPs, and he played a major role in recent LAP revisions. His in-depth knowledge of the LAPs has led to him performing requested training for industrial partners. As the industry becomes more interested in biomass compositional analysis, Justin is responding to hundreds of questions about proper LAP techniques and adaptation to new feedstocks. He is also working on LAP method optimization for new feedstocks and for diverse instrumentation. Recent work has been in collaboration with DOE,NIST and EPA to improve quantification of starch and cellulose for starch ethanol plants applying for EPA RIN credit pathways. Justin is actively involved with ASTM.